The Right Kind of Avalanche
by Eric VanDerBoom
Summary: There's an avalanche falling down from Ada Wong's heart. Is it really such a bad thing?


After all of this time, part of it still felt wrong.

Ada Wong woke up in the middle of the night, the nightmare that had been plaguing her mind disappearing as fast as her eyes opened. She took in her surroundings, noticing everything was in its place - or at least the way she and her man had left it after their heated night together.

There was one minor difference though - something was wrapping around her waist and up her chest to her shoulder, almost imprisoning her. Ada turned her head as far around as she could, noticing Leon Kennedy's blond hair gently falling against her cheek, his handsome and rugged face buried into her shoulder, his concealed eyes peaceful yet seemingly braced for the impact of something harmful that could come at any moment. Almost as if Leon was preparing for a wave of danger, an avalanche neither of them could see but would seemingly hear in due time.

If only he knew that Ada was experiencing a landfall all her own, in the one place she never would have thought she'd have them nearly two decades prior.

When Ada was younger, she wouldn't have thought twice before slipping away from the grasp of any other man who held her like this. She knew she had to keep whatever emotions there were in check, she knew she could take care of herself, and she'd thought that she'd be able to accomplish that self-care without anyone holding her back by feeling like they needed to protect her to prove their worth. Such feelings were a liability to her, back then a budding spy for a mysterious organization.

That was her norm until she met Leon, the one person who protected her not because he needed to assert his masculinity, but simply because he stubbornly thought it was the right thing to do. She hadn't desired his company at first, but over the duration of that night back in 1998, Ada slowly grew accustomed to the idea of someone protecting her and helping her fight when she needed it. Along with that, she began to feel something she thought she'd never be able to hold toward anyone again - affection, the kind that eventually gave way to survivor's love.

No matter how many times Ada told Leon to save himself, that she'd only slow him down, he never gave up, never listened, but it was never in a forceful or completely unwanted fashion. Over the course of that night, she'd grown to appreciate it. On top of that, Leon did his damndest to keep his promise to escape the hell on earth with her.

Of course, he hadn't been able to keep it back then. But only because Ada had returned Leon's gesture and saved his life when he couldn't do so himself. And all because she couldn't stop herself falling in love with this driven, intelligent, skilled, sweet, and handsome man. The survivor's love that had formed between them both had only seemed to grow over the years and their encounters.

17 years ago, Leon and Ada were a young rookie cop and a secret agent of corporate espionage.

11 years ago, he was a secret agent himself.

8 years ago, they'd shared a wild, passionate night in Paris.

Then one year ago, she thought he'd died.

Now here Ada was, paranoid again about Leon being protective, because she still wasn't completely comfortable with that kind of physical touch.

But now, she wasn't totally uncomfortable with it either.

Slowly, careful not to rouse Leon from his slumber, Ada turned within Leon's arm so she was laying on her back, looking over at his calmly resting face, her slender fingers gently gliding over the muscles of his arms - just tight enough to hold on and protect her. She raised her free hand to gently touch his cheek, the corner of Leon's mouth twitching lightly in response.

She smiled lightly, despite herself.

Tomorrow, they'd be heading back to New York - a new case had come to their investigative and security agency, and apparently a few FBI agents were getting involved as well. Aspects of it reminded her strongly of that horrific September night in Raccoon City - it might explain the feds. With the life she and her former government agent husband led, they never knew what could happen, when the last night could be. Another avalanche they either had to run from or confront.

For now though, there was tonight. Ada slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, remembering that this wasn't because she was weak, nor was Leon. Even the strongest people needed someone to help them fight, someone to protect them, someone to love.

This was just another way for them both to show it, even if they didn't have to say anything about it.

And when Leon's eyes of paradoxically warm ice blue slowly creaked open to lock into Ada's almond hues, she could only smile in response.

The wink and returned smile from Leon's scruffy, handsome face only served to soothe her further, their arms holding and relaxing around each other. Not even the worst of nightmares could've plagued them at that point. They'd lived through enough of those to be scared anymore.

Then she realized that this avalanche wasn't one threatening to kill her. It wasn't even going to bury her.

The tumult inside her was that of the last of the cold snow tumbling from her heart, triggered when the ice there started melting. And all it took was the last look in Leon's eyes before the cop died and the agent rose from the ashes.

It still felt a bit wrong to Ada, even after all this time. But she knew, deep down despite her initial misgivings, that it was now all perfectly right.

The whole short eternity they'd been together, it had always been right


End file.
